For My Mother
by Saphiraimafan
Summary: Katniss Everdeen was never born. Now it's up to fate to decide what happens to Prim in the 74th Annual Hunger Games... or is it? Please Review so I can put up another chapter!
1. Chapter 1

I wake up, covered in cold sweat. Another nightmare. I was expecting it, but the blood still pulses through my ears as I remember my dream, two girls chasing me, catching me in a net and slicing away my body parts whilst they grin down at me, blood dripping from their teeth.

Of course I would dream about the Hunger Games, because today is my first reaping.

I lay in bed for another five minutes, staring at a crack in the wall, before rousing myself and getting dressed. I will change into smarter clothes later, but I need to get to Greasy Sae and deliver her some of the dandelions I found in the meadow for the soup which we will prepare later this afternoon for the families who have lost their children. I walk into the kitchen and open a cupboard, empty only excepting a handful of grain and a hunk of bread.

"Prim, I already made you some breakfast" Mother calls from behind me. True to her word, a piece of bread sits on the table, spread with a layer of goopy rice paste. But I ignore it and rush into her arms, tears threatening to make an appearance. She clings to me tightly and the holds me at arm's length. She studies my face for a moment, and then releases me. I push back my emotions, kiss her on the cheek, grab the bread and my dandelions and leave the house.

It doesn't take long until I enter into the Hob. I can still remember the first time I went in there. I was nine, and mother and I were on the brink of starvation after the death of my father. I was nearly delirious and wandered aimlessly around the Hob, looking for anything, _anything _which we could eat. Then I had felt a cold hand on my shoulder. Peacekeepers. They were almost going to take me away, take me to the horrible community home, when Greasy Sae had come to my rescue. She fed me up with steamy hot carrot and wild dog stew, and sent me home with some for mother, not before offering me a job of cutting up all her vegetables for her stews. It was hard work, but eventually I got better and better with a knife, and that was how we had survived, mother and I.

So now I entered the Hob. Even though I am young, I am respected, because I work for Greasy Sae, who most people from the seam have respect for.

"Hi Sae", I greet her with a false smile. I pass her the dandelions and she smiles a toothy grin down on me.

"Hey Prim, you ready?" she asks, bustling about behind the counter.

"I-I guess" I say, uncertainly. Which is the truth. Am I ready? I shake the thought away. Of course not. How could anybody be ready?

She seems to see behind my fake smile and swoops me up into a hug. She pours me a mug of steamy hot chocolate and I sit behind the counter, chatting to her. It's pretty quiet in the Hob, but Greasy Sae has business to do. Once I have finished my hot chocolate, I say goodbye and she wishes me luck.

When I get back to the house, I see that mother has laid out a white shirt and tan trousers for me. I slip them on, and look at myself in the mirror. I look young, fragile, and very, very scared, which I am. I tuck in the back of my shirt, and walk out of the bedroom and face my mother. She smiles and takes my hand and we walk to the Square. I am separated from my mother and sign in. Afterwards, I take my place in the 12 year olds pen and face the justice building.

Effie Trinket trots onto the stage and welcomes us to the 74th Annual Hunger Games. She smiles down at us, coated in her freakish makeup. "And may the odds be _ever _in your favour" she squeaks. I wince just listening to her. She's just like a plucked chicken I think, smiling at the thought, but then my face hardens and she walks towards the girls ball and picks out a name.

I close my eyes and pray. _Please. Let it not be me. _I only have one slip in there, we get by fine enough on my wages from working in the hob.

Effie plasters on a smile and shouts the name clearly and crisply.

"Primrose Everdeen"

My eyes snap open. Oh God. My knees start to tremble. I was one of thousands! How could this have happened?

I knit my eyebrows together and focus on getting to the stage. I feel sick, and my knees tremble at I walk up the steps. Effie clutches at my arm and pulls me over to the side. The audience mumur to eachother. How is this fair?

I am in a daze, but I snap back into focus as effie draws out a boys name.

"Kyle Targouda"

I don't recognise the name, but a boy from the 15 pen steps out. He has blond hair cut short, and a pale face. At first I think he's a merchant boy, but as he takes tentative steps up to the stage, I see his darker skin and chestnut eyes. Effie tells us to shake hands and we do. He smiles sympathetically at me, clearly believing I wont last a day.

We are escorted into the justice building to say our final goodbyes, and as we leave I think about the boy and frown. I don't need his sympathy. I need to come back. For mother.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for reading! :) It would me a lot to me if you review this, and I can update quicker, constructive criticism is very welcome!**

I sit upright, fidgeting with my hands as I wait for the first visitor. The first is three girls from my school who are what I would say to be my closest friends. It's kind of awkward as they have no way of putting themselves in my position and leave quite hastily. I feel disappointed but I can't really blame them. Next is Greasy Sae who comes in and envelops me in one of her warm bear hugs. She bends down on one knee and looks me in the eyes.

"You come back now, d'you hear me?" She shows a faint trace of a smile even though tears are welling up in her eyes. I feel tears coming to my own eyes, but push them down. She gives my shoulders a reassuring squeeze, plants a kiss on the top of my head and then, she too is gone.

I imagine the people visiting to be birds, flying away in the wind. I say goodbye to them now, because I need my thoughts to be focused on coming home. I'll admit, odds are against me, but I'm willing to fight fate to come back to the woman who slips through the door.

I run up to her and throw myself into her arms. I can't explain the love I have for my mother. We are the only two left in our family, so we have grown together. She presses her lips to my hair and rocks me back and forth. After a while we separate and she slips her wedding ring of her finger.

"Have this as your token. You are all I have Prim, and you need to come back." She says her voice steady, yet full of emotion.

I look her in the eye and nod an affirmative. She loops the ring through a leather band and fixes it around my neck, and all too soon the peacekeepers are ordering her out of the room.

"Have faith in yourself" she whispers before the door slams shut and she is gone.

I am left empty.

Four peacekeepers march in and form a circle around me. I am then escorted to train station where I meet up with Kyle and we push our way through the cameras which are clicking furiously to get onto the train.

I gasp when we step in. The rooms are adorned with gold threaded furniture and paintings and sculptures. I am in awe of the incredible rooms, yet also bitter at the fact that the people of the capitol can live like this whilst we in the districts are impoverished beyond belief. As if to boost my point, Effie trots in wearing a lime green dress, and grabs us both by the arms. We are lead into a dining compartment and this is where I first meet our mentor.

Haymitch wanders in, halfway through our first course. He is half drunk, but Effie somehow managed to get him slightly sobered up. He gives Kyle a once over, and seems quite impressed with what he sees. I have to admit, Kyle does look very strong and able to handle himself, different from the usual tributes from our districts. He sits up a little straighter, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Haymitch looks at me and just rolls his eyes. Another lamb for slaughter. That's all I am.

For some reason this makes me angry. I'm always known as the calm one at school. Quiet. But I'm fed up of being taken for nothing, and resisting the temptation to hit him, I spit out

"Got a problem Haymitch? You just gonna not bother with me because I'm too young to handle myself?"

Haymitch looks surprised, I guess most of the 12 year olds that pass his way don't talk much. My father always told me to stand up for myself, so this is what I'm doing. _No more mr nice Prim _I think, smiling wryly to myself. And if this is how I'm going to win, so be it.

Haymitch looks me in the eye and and I don't look away. He taps his chin and laughs. "I hope you got the brains to go with that mouth kid." He smirks.

Kyle seems unsettled about the attention being drawn away from him, and starts pestering Haymitch with a thousand questions. Our mentor pours some wine and holds up his hand. "Here's some advice, Stay Alive" He chuckles, downing the wine.

I sit in silence, eating all the grand food for the rest of the meal, and then slip away to my carriage. I dress in a purple shirt and white leggings, slip my mother's ring around my neck and sit on my bed, staring at the ceiling, willing myself to be staring at the ceiling in my house back home.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few hours later, Effie calls me. We go into the living room compartment and I sit in a comfy armchair to watch the reapings.

Most of the people pass me by, but I to take note of one or two individuals. There are a pair of the typical menacing volunteers from districts 1 and 2. A sly, foxfaced girl from 5, a massive boy from 11, and a slight framed, dark skinned girl also from 11, who looks no older than me. I stare at her large brown eyes and think about how alike we are. I feel an intense pull towards this girl whom I have never met. An urge to know her, even though we are being sent into an arena to certain death.


End file.
